Thursday, January 19, 2017

Thank you Obama

Jessie Traylor received a life sentence in 2010 based on his
minor role in a conspiracy to distribute cocaine. The life sentence was
mandatory because the government enhanced his minimum sentence based on two
prior convictions for “felony drug offenses.”

On Tuesday, President Obama changed that. In one of his last
acts in office, President Obama commuted Jessie Traylor’s life sentence to 20
years’ imprisonment. The story behind the clemency petition was told recently in
the KC Star here and here. And it was also told in the LJWorld here.

In total, President Obama commuted the sentences of 1,715
inmates. That is the most ever for any president. Of those commutations, 568 inmates
had a life sentence shortened. A few of the 1,715 commutations were the
result of hard work from a number of volunteers in the District of Kansas (possibly more on those later).

For Jessie Traylor, this work means that Jessie will not
have to die in prison. He will get to see his family. He may even get to see
his son play professional basketball. He will get another chance at life
outside of prison.